Marrying Mr. Darcy (Love Manor #2) - Kate O'Keeffe Page 0,57

“That might be a little uncomfortable.”

“Ooh, don’t I know. Can you get me one of them sports bra thingies, then? I’ve not ’ad one before, and I’ve got no idea where to begin with ’em.”

I glance at the line once more. Denise and Paula are still busy serving customers. Surely me helping this woman into a sports bra isn’t part of the “please stock my label in your store” brief?

But then I look back at Doreen. What harm could it do to help this nice lady out while I wait? It’s not like I’ve got a sea of retailers banging at my door to stock Timothy. I really do need Denise’s business. Maybe she’ll see it as a good thing I helped a customer out today.

“For sure,” I reply. “I’d be happy to help you. What size bra do you wear?”

“No idea.”

“How about you go into one of the fitting rooms and look at the label of the one you’re wearing?”

She smiles at me. “You’re a clever one.”

I walk her over to the fitting rooms where she pulls the curtain over and gets changed. After a moment, she calls out to me and thrusts a slightly graying, tattered old bra out at me. “’Ere you go, love. I’ll try on the yoga tight thingies while you get me one of them sports bras.”

“Sure.” Reluctantly, I take it in my hand. It’s still warm. As nice as this woman seems, I’m not mentally prepared to manhandle her warm bra right now.

I flip it over and try to make out the size, but the thing’s so old, any sign of it is long gone. I chew on my lip. I’ve got no clue how to measure for a bra, and I’m not excited about learning.

Instead, I wander over to the sports bra section and begin to pull bras out and try to fit the cups of Doreen’s one inside them. It’s not exactly scientific, I know, but all I can do is work with what I’ve got. I come up with a few options, which I pass through the curtain to her.

After a few minutes of grunts and groans emanating from behind the curtain, I call out to her. “Everything okay in there?”

“I’m not sure, love. I think I might need some ’elp with this ’ere bra.”

Before I can stop her, she pulls the curtain back, and I’m met with a sight I cannot unsee. She’s not wrong that the bra doesn’t fit, and she’s got some serious boobage going on, all bulging out at the top and the sides.

“How about we close this curtain up to preserve your modesty, Doreen,” I say hastily as I do just that. “I’ll go get you some more sizes. Okay?”

“Right you are.”

I grab a bunch more, this time paying closer attention to cup sizes. I return with some options, and after a couple more failed attempts, we find one that fits Doreen perfectly with no sign of spillage anywhere.

At the checkout, she thanks me and tells Paula how helpful her new “shop girl” was.

Once Doreen’s made her purchases and left the store, Paula arcs an eyebrow at me.

“You fitted Doreen Sanderson in a sports bra without a measuring tape and not even knowing her size?” she asks.

“There was a lot of guesswork involved. I hope that was okay. You and Paula were both super busy, and she asked me for help.” I hold my breath. Is she annoyed with me? Did I overstep the mark?

The edges of her mouth twitch. “Actually, I think it’s just brilliant! I best stock some of your line, now shouldn’t I?”

“Seriously?” I ask excitedly. “Thank you!”

“Thank me when we manage to sell some. Now, let’s sit down and work it out. Paula, you’re on the till.”

“If I have to,” she moans in a bored monotone.

As I follow Denise to the back of the store, I do a little air punch. It might be small, and I did have to see more of Doreen than ever I’d expected to see, but it is most definitely a start in the right direction.

Perhaps I can make a success of Timothy here after all?

Chapter 16

Leaving Vestiti da Donna behind, I arrive at the sweetest looking olde-worlde bridal shop I have ever seen for my bridesmaid dress fitting for Phoebe and Johnathan’s big day. With me in the States a lot of the time, the dress had been made from measurements I sent Phoebe, so this will be the first time I see it in